Electric time switch



36:11:24, 1930. s. c. VINCENT 1,767,103

ELECTRIC TIME SWITCH Filed June 19, 1924 s Sheets-Sheet" 1 Jun 24, 1930. s. c. VINCENT 1,767,103

ELECTRIC TIME SWITCH Filed June 19, 1924. 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 U Qu n-m,

STATES PATENT oFFIc-E SIDNEY c. vrnonn'r, on BALTIMORE, MARYLAND nnncrnrc TIME swrrcn Application filed June. 1.9,

, This invention relates to electric time switches, orsthose switches that are automaticallyoperated by a time or clock mechanism for closing and opening electric circuits.

Electric switches of this character have objections which I seek to vovercome, and

the primary provide a .me

object of this invention is to chanism in which the driving means for the time or clock mechanism is relieved of the work of opening and closing the switch, that is to say, a mechanism in whichthe time mechanism is utilized only to actuate certain devices or elements to put into operation the'switch opening and closing means, andv to provide a novel, simple,

durable and purpose.

compact mechanism for this A-still further object of the invention is to provide a mechanism by which the move" ment from th e two extreme positions of the switch (opening or closing) will be instantaneous, thereby preventing arcing with its consequent disadvantages.

.A still further object of the invention is to provide a construction in which certain partsof the mechanism maybe readily disconnected to enable the switch to be operated manually should anything go wrong with the mechanism for automatically operating it.

In the drawings illustrating the invention [Fig 1 is a plan View ofv the switch.

' Fig. 2 is asimilar iew with the dial of ,theclock mechanism and the parts carried thereby removed.

Fig. 3 .15..

side elevation.

. Fig. 4 is asection taken about on the lines 14= of Fig. 1. Figs". 5 and Gare views showing different positions of t Fig. 7 is a he tripping lever.

plan view of the mechanism,

both clock and switch, with the top plate removed.

, Fig. 8 is an elevation and partial section ofthe. switch the clock dial ing omitted.

operating mechanism proper, and parts carried thereby be- In the mechanism about to be described,

1924. Serial No. 721,025.

the gear trains, springs, etc. are mainly car ried between two plates, a top plate 1, and bottom plate 2, and in the present'instance, the bottom plate is firmly secured to a block 8 by screws 4, the block being preferably Wholly ,or in essential parts, of insulating material. The plates 1 and 2 are secured together and spaced apart by the usual posts 5, and are shaped to accommodate and form bearings for the various shafts upon which are mounted the various gear wheels and pinions of both the clock mechanism and the switch mechanism, and theirinter-dependent elements. I

The escapement device which may be referredto as a whole, and which is designated by the numeral 6, is of well known construction, and need not be referred to in detail. The numeral 7 designates the spring barrel mounted upon the main or ara split sleeve 16 which embraces the sleeve 1 1 of the wheel 13, upon which sleeve the split sleeve is frictionally held.

' Above the dial is a boss 17 which extends through circular apertures in'the tripping arms 18. The dial is provided with circular slots 19 and 20, in which travel two similar set screws 21 carried by the tripping arms 18 and arranged for adjustment of said arms at any suitable point upon the dial, the dial being provided with graduations and dividing the day into two periods of twelve hours each. The tripping arms are bevelled in the same direction as indicated at 22. Mounted upon a stub shaft 23 is the tripping lever 24; of the bell crank type. The outer end of this lever is provided with an lip-turned engaging portion 25 adapted to, be alternately engaged by the bevelled ends ofthe operating arms 18 to ormed mum inner arm of spring 24' held ri -dly in the tog with a wheel 41in in mounted on a winding shaft 43journaled in the desired numeral, ,0: to the desired g'adnations between the numerals, and adJusted accurately with its straight edge upon the;

numeral or graduations when the set screws are tightened, thus insuring the infallible trippi operation at the predetermined timel e outer end of the lever .24 is forced constantly toward the dial by a leaf n I plate at its'outer end, wit its innerfeii bearing the edgeofthe innerarm" ofthe lever 24, asshowfn in Fig. '2. The inner end ,3} the tri ping lever 24 is providedl ownwar extending pin-engagi ug which exteii dsthro an elongate? slot 28 in the top plate, an is adapted to extend into the path of movement of one or the 'otherof two pins 29 and 30 carried onthe upper face of a 'g'e'arwheel 31 mounted upon a shaft 32 iournaled in the upper and lower h 32 carries a pinion 33 in mesh with w en ar nssaaes oumied in the plates; shaft 35 further'carries dl cent thejlower plate 2.. a gear wheel 36 in mesh with a'wheel 37 momma on a sleeve 38 which in turn is mountedon shaft. 39.

The shaft 39 carries a essgri barrel-'40 fitted wit the'pinion 42 a bracket 44 on the top plate 1." V

The numeral 32 designates a shaft ournaled between the plates and carrying near its upper end, just beneath the top te, a

. 'nion 32! Fig. 7 in mesh with pin w eel '31.

car the lowerfen'd of this shaft 32 just above the bottom plate v2, is a wheel $2 in mesh with pinion. 32f"onthe shaft oi the' butterfly-governor 32?. The shaft 35 carries above the'plate 1, a disk 45 provided at its under face with ,a downwardly extending in which-is adapted to engage a cam 48 i i t e tripping hem-1.24 fer-tbsp pose, as will he hereinafter describembt; controllin "short rocking ping ever to cause wheel 31 in the ogerationofthe mechanism.

The numeral4 a disk rbvided on underside with a boss'j50t ro'u h whichand the disk the shaft 39 extends, t e disk being secured to the shaft b set screw 51. The disk 49 isprovided'lwit a stud 52 adapted for alternate engagement with two downwardl' extendi lugs 53 and 54 carried by the ead55, the lugs being'arranged in difierent planes. This head is provided with an extension 56 which with an arm 57 forms a link 58 twisted from flat to vertical position to form an end 59 embraced by the ifurcated end 60 of the switch lever 60' the mode of attachment being b means oi a-set 'serejt Elie led as to disconnect the link from the switch, in "case an goes wrong with the clock ,when desired to operate the switch by d. to the head 55, this is provided with an elo ated slot 62 through which the upper end 2% theshaft 39 extends for the urpose of guiding the link in a straight ne in its movements. The shaft 39 is mterriallz threaded at the top for the reception 0 a screw 63 between which and't 0 head is preferably interposed a small washextending arms or, portions of w ich are spaced a art 'for'the' receptionof the switch lever'60 saidlever being pivoted at'70 between said arms. The' lever comprisesa member of insulating material and a late 76" embedded in said material. Tothe' ower endof the plate is attached-the upper end of a pin 71, the lower end of said pin extendin through an,a rture 72 in the bridge p1e'ce'73 of a U-s member 74 pivoted at=.75- to the armso the bracket v PivotedF'a't "75 tothe upper end of the member 74, outsi of the irmsthereof, are the tumblers 76 (0 which there are two) diamond sha and pmvided with'termmal enga en 77, ads ted to engage the termma s 78 (of which there aret wo) and terminals '79 inthe of the recess opposite the first mentioned terminals, toclose a circuit. Obviously the'rochinf in the opposite direction will i'sengafe the tumbler ends from the terminals-an open the circuit. "The 'ngand connections between the switc lever an the U=shaped of the lever.

member74 are for accelerating the movement of the lever and tumblers after the lever has passed the central point, so asfto quickly open or close the circuit:

The u per end 8001 the-switch lever is provided with a bore '81 which receives the reduced u per end of the insulator rtion of the sw lever, making a cape *connection between the link 58 and the lever, the point 80 being of insulating material.

Operation As intimated in the introduction there is no driving connection between the clock mechanism and'the switch actuating mechanism, and only such connection exists'that at a predetermined-time, according to the adj ustment of the tripping arms carried by the clock dial, the tripping lever will be actuated to permit the switch operating spring 40 in the drum 40 to function for a time just sufiicient to draw the switch lever slightly past the medial point of its movement when the movement of all of the operative parts between the two mechanisms ceases.

Normally the downwardly extending pinengaging lug 27 of the tripping lever is in engagement with the pin 30 on the wheel 31,

thus preventing the rotation of the shaft 32,

V which through pinion 33 and wheel 34, the

shaft 35 is rotated at times, by the switch operating spring 40, through the gear wheels 36 and 37 carried respectively on the shafts 35 and 39. When in normal position, the engaging portion 25 of the tripping lever is in the path of movement of the tripping arms 21 and 22. The moving engagement between the bevel end of the arm and the tripping lever, will cause said lever to be rocked slightly, and when the part 25 is about half way of the bevel of the arm, the pin engaging lug 27 on the other end of the lever will release the pin 30, and permit the shaft 32 to make a partial revolution meantime bringing the lug 27 into the path of movement of the pin 29, arresting the movement of the shaft 32. When, caused by the further movement of the arm carried by the dial, the engaging portion 25 passes the highest point of the arm, the leaf spring 24' will force back the tripping lever 24 to the position shown in full lines in Fig. 2 and Fig. 6, in which position the lug 27 is out of the pathof movement of both of the pins 29 and 30, thus permitting the shaft 32 to be revolved by the power'of the switch operating spring 40, for certain purposes that will appear.

tion'of this disk brings the stud 52 alternately against the lower side of lug 54.- to move the switch lever in one direction, and the upper side of lug 53 to move it in the opposite direction. During this movement of the switch lever through the link 58, the

link is guided in a straight line by the slot and pin connection shown.

WVhen the shaft 35 is rotated through the described train of gearing, it will cause the pin ,46 to engage at the proper time, the cam 48 in the innerarm of the trippinglever, to restore the arm to normal position, or the position shown in Fig. 5, in which position the pin engaging lug 27 is again in engagement with the pin 30 on the wheel 31, the switch being then in position for a reverse operation, as for instance, if the last operation has been to move the switch lever in one direction, the next o eration willmove it in the other. I

It will be noted that the switch employed is of the tumbler variety, to which has been added certain elements in applicants combination.

I claim:

1. The combination with a lever snap switch, of a clockwork mechanism for o en ating said switch, said clockwork mechanism including a timing device, a switch operating device, primary starting means controlled by the timing device, and operable upon the timing device reaching a predetermined position to release the switch operating device and-a secondary device operable upon further movement of the timing mechanism to further release the switch operating device and thereby effect operation of the switch, said switch operatingdevi'ce including a tripping lever having a cam face on one side thereof, and a revolving disk provided with a pin for rocking said lever, said device including agear engageable by said lever to hold the device from movement.

2. In a mechanism of the character described, in combination, a suitable frame, a clock mechanism including a dial having tripping arms a'dju-stably secured thereto, a tripping lever actuated by said arms, a switch operating mechanism including a shaft journaled in the frame, a spring for rotating said shaft at intervals, said s'pring being independent of the driving sprin of the clock mechanism, a shaft journ'ale in the frame carrying pins adapted to be alternately engaged and released by the trip ing lever to hold the switch operating mec anism inactive, or to permit it to operate, a switch including a switch lever, alink connected at one end to the to of the switch lever and provided at the ot er end with a head having an elon ated slot therein adapted to embrace the upper end of the main shaft of the switch operating mechanism for guiding'the link in a straight line in either direction, said head being provided with two downwardly extending lugs out of line with each other, a disk mounted on the shaft of the switch operatil'ig 'me'chanism and carrying an upwardly extending lug adapted to engage alternately the lugs on said head to operate the switch through the link in either direction.

3. In a mechanism of the character described, in combination, a suitable frame, a clock mechanism including a dial having tripping arms adjustably secured thereto, a tripping lever actuated by said arms, a

4 1,7e7,1os

shaft journaled n the frame a spring for r c 1 rotating said shaft at interval-is, sald spr n being independent of thmdriving spring o 5 the clock'meehanism, a shaft 'ournale 1n the frame and carigingi ins apted tobe alternatel engage an released by the ever to hold, the switch operating moo sm inactizve, or .to permit it to o rm .ate,aswitch includingaswitchleven-a 1nk connected at one end to the top of the sw tch t c v lever, and provided at the other with a head A 1 I anelongated slot therein-adapted to t I brace theupper. end of the main shaft r c 7 F5 ofgithe switchc operating mechamsm for a h h, 'ding thelink-in a'straight line in'elther f 3;

di rection, said head being provided with two a downwardly extending lugs out of line with each. other, a disk mounted on the shaft, of the switch operating mechanism and carrying an upwardly extending lug ada ted to engage a ternatelyzthe lugs. on said ead to operate the switch, thro thelink n either direction, and means for accelera ing the 5 movement of the switch lever after it has eased the center ,of its movement and therey accelerate the opening and losing of the 4. In a mechanism of the character deao scribed, in combination, a suitable frame, a clock mechanism including a dial having tripping anns adjustably secured thereto, a trigpinglever actuated by arms, one en of said lever provided with means .for engaging the -tr1 ping arms and the I other end being provi ed'with adownwardexte d en aging p r o shaft igurnaled in the fame wit mvinga mem- I I r rovided; with pins adaptedto be alterw engaged :by,,the.downwa,rdly'. ,extendv o swses 'p e of. thet pp slever tour-rest the ;rotation of SaId-ShB-fi RIld to .be. released lever-Ito permit. rotation of the shaft, a second shaft carrying at its upper end a pinadapted to engage t e trippings lever to rock the same into the path of movement'of one of the first mentioned pins, a shaft having a switch operating s ring mounted thereon said spring beingheid inoperativenorm ily by the engagement bec tween the tr' pinglever andqthe-engagin 7 7 pins on the i rst mentioned shaft, :1. sw1tc including a; switchllever, a diskcarried by the main shaft of the switch operatin mechanism, connections between said dis and" lever'whereby when the shaft is rotated the switch lever will be actuated.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signahire. 1 t V v. w SIDNEY-C. VINCENT;

switch operating mechanism including a 

